South Florida Sun-Sentinel Palm Beach (Sunday)
Stein kicks off Broward College Speaker Series
For six years, Broward College’s annual Speaker Series has featured notable columnists, activists and authors whose discussions educate and entertain audience members with a variety of topics. That continues this year with nationally known columnist Ben Stein on Jan. 16; Academy Award-winning actress and activist
Marlee Matlin on Feb. 6; sports analyst and broadcaster Terry Bradshaw on
March 11; and award-winning actor and bestselling author Hill Harper on April 24.
The series will be held at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts, Amaturo Theatre, 201 SW Fifth Ave., Fort Lauderdale. Ticket prices range from $60 to $80 and can be purchased at BrowardCollegeSpeakerSeries.com. Each discussion begins at 7:30 p.m.
Stein will discuss “Politics in America!” with moderator Tom Hudson of WLRN News. Famous for his curmudgeonly persona and offbeat style, Stein will look at society’s quirky conundrums. He is the author of “Yes, You Can Supercharge Your Portfolio!,” “Yes, You Can Get a Financial Life” and “How to Ruin the United States of America.” Stein’s career ranges from speechwriter for President Nixon to the monotone teacher in the movie “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.”
Book It! at Delray library
The Delray Beach Public Library kicks off its inaugural Book It! lunch series with author and entrepreneur India Hicks on Jan. 24 at the Polo Club of Boca Raton, 5400 Champion Blvd. The event will include an India Hicks Pop Up Shop, opening at 10:30 a.m., followed by a champagne lunch and lecture starting at noon. A former fashion model, Hicks is the author of “Island Life,” “Island Beauty” and “Island Style.” She also was a bridesmaid to Lady Diana Spencer at her wedding to Prince Charles, who is also her godfather. Anyone who’s been at one of her talks knows she is an entertaining, witty speaker.
Tickets are $125 per person or $250 per person to the author table seating (limited availability), and available at DelrayLibrary .org/indiahicks. All proceeds benefit the Delray Beach Public Library. For more information, call 561-266-0798.
Palm Beach Poetry Festival begins
Sharon Olds, author of 11 books of poetry and winner of the 2013 Pulitzer Prize for Poetry, will be the special guest during the 15th annual Palm Beach Poetry Festival Jan. 21-26 at Old School Square, 51 N. Swinton Ave., Delray Beach. In addition, 2017 Pulitzer
Prize winner Tyehimba
Jess will be the festival’s first Poet-at-Large.
As usual, the organizers have assembled some of the best-known poets to lead poetry-writing workshops, including Ellen Bass, Laure-Anne Bosselaar, Stuart Dischell, Aracelis Girmay, Campbell McGrath, Matthew Olzmann, Gregory Pardlo, Chase Twichell and Eleanor Wilner. Individual conferences will be presented by nationally acclaimed poets Lorna Knowles Blake, Sally Bliumis-Dunn and Nickole Brown. The festival will feature these top poets at numerous ticketed public events, including readings, talks, interviews, panel discussions and more.
For more information about the Palm Beach Poetry Festival, visit palm beachpoetryfestival.org.
‘Ruining’ a book club
South Florida has so many book clubs that we don’t have room to list them. But occasionally there are exceptions, such as the new nontraditional book club called “Millennials Ruin Book Club,” designed to attract young adults to programs at the Mandel Public Library. The reading frenzy begins at 6:30 p.m. Jan. 16 at Subculture Coffee in downtown West Palm Beach. Regular meetings will be the third Wednesday of each month. For more information, visit wpbcitylibrary.org or call 561-868-7701.
The new book club, created by millennials for millennials, will have no assigned book to read. Instead, “Millennials Ruin Book Club” participants will have the chance to just share what they are reading or watching, and also get recommendations from other readers and librarians. The organizers believe this will allow the readers to enjoy the benefits of a traditional book club but in a more relaxed setting. “So, the book club is not really being ruined, just tailored to suit the desires and expectations of this audience, consequently making both the book club and the library relevant for millenni- als,” stated a release from the Mandel Library.
Author signings
A variety of authors are starting the new year with new books and events scheduled at Murder on the Beach, 273 Pineapple Grove Way, Delray Beach, 561-279-7790, murderonthe beach.com.
Larry Loftus delves into WWII with his nonfiction “Code Name: Lise, The True Story of the Woman Who Became WWII’s Most Highly Decorated Spy” at 6 p.m. Jan 19.
Debra Goldstein
launches her new series about culinary-challenged Sarah Blair with “One Taste Too Many” at 6 p.m. Jan.
26.
Tim Dorsey returns with his anti-hero Serge A. Storm, whose affection for Florida sometimes has fatal consequences, with his comic mystery “No Sunscreen for the Dead” at 7 p.m. Jan. 29.
Alyssa Maxwell of Coral Springs continues her historical novels set in post-WWI England with “A Murderous Marriage” at 5 p.m. Feb. 2.
Two author events also will feature on-site interviews. Nick Petrie discusses his latest thriller “Tear It Down” with author Charles Todd at 6 p.m. Jan. 20. And James Rollins talks about his latest Sigma Force novel “The Crucible” with me at 7 p.m. Jan. 24.
Flowering in the gardens
The Miami Beach Botanical Garden is one of the breathtaking treasures of South Florida. Victoria
Johnson kicks off the garden’s Green Book Club with an illustrated discussion of her book “American Eden: David Hosack, Botany, and Medicine in the Garden of the Early Republic” from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Jan. 17 at the garden, 2000 Convention Center Drive, Miami Beach, 305-673-7256. Johnson’s book has a Hamilton connection: David Hosack was the attending physician when Hamilton and Aaron Burr had their fatal duel. Hosack was considered the leading botanist of his era, and Johnson weaves in history, politics and a tale of old New York City in her book, which was selected as a 2018 National Book Award finalist in nonfiction.
Lost Generation’s forgotten man
Palm Beach County resident Mark Lurie has been garnering positive reviews for his biography of Lewis Galantière titled “Galantière, The Lost Generation's Forgotten Man.” Galantière was part of the trans-Atlantic literary scene during the 1920s in France. Galantière is credited with guiding Ernest Hemingway through his first years in Paris, helping James Joyce and Sylvia Beach launch “Ulysses,” and collaborating with Antoine de Saint-Exupery in the writing of “Wind, Sand and Stars” and “Flight to Arras.” Lurie will discuss and read from his biography at 6 p.m. Jan. 16 at the West Palm Beach Public Library, 411 Clematis St., West Palm Beach, 561868-7700. For more information visit Mark-Lurie .com.
Mystery, romance workshops
Writing authentic characters in mystery fiction means occasionally those characters have to get hurt. But how do you bring pain to a character? Michael J.
Carlson discusses describing wounds, injuries, trauma and even what happens to a character in the vacuum of space beginning at 11:30 a.m. Jan. 19 as part of the monthly meeting of the Florida Chapter of Mystery Writers of America at the Embassy Suites, 661 NW 53rd St., Boca Raton. Cost is $25 for members; $30 for nonmembers; email harriet@ ottenheimer.com. Carlson has written novels, short stories and non-fiction reference books and frequently gives workshops on writing software.
“Show, don't tell” is a constant refrain that writers often hear. But how does a writer do that? Award-winning author
Janice Hardy presents a workshop on how to show tension, emotion and motives beginning at 10 a.m. Jan. 12 as part of the Florida Romance Writers meeting at Broward College’s Tigertail Lake Recreational Center, 580 Gulf Stream Way, Dania Beach. Cost is $10 for members, $15 for non-members. Visit frwriters.org for details. Hardy is the author of the teen fantasy trilogy “The Healing Wars.” She also writes the Grace Harper series for adults under the name, J.T. Hardy.
Detecting a bargain at SleuthFest
Last chance to save on registration for SleuthFest 2019, the writers’ conference March 14-17 at the Embassy Suites, 661 NW 53rd St., Boca Raton. Sponsored by the Florida Chapter of the Mystery Writers of America, the conference features sessions on writing, marketing and promoting your work with an array of writers, editors and agents. The three-day registration for members is $380 until Jan. 15 and $405 after Jan. 15. Registration for nonmembers is $420 now until Jan. 15 and $445 after. Third-Degree Thursday is an extra day of hands-on workshops taught by masters of the craft before the main conference; regular price is $85; the educator and librarian price is $50. For more information, visit sleuthfest.com. Keynote speaker will be multiEdgar Award-winning author T. Jefferson
Parker. Among the authors who will be teaching workshops are Alexia Gordon, Alex Segura, Tom Straw and Elaine Viets.
Deadline for February Local Books is Jan. 20; email olinecog@aol.com.